NorthBeast Regional 2023

On June 17th & 18th, 2023, representatives from poetry venues across New England will be competing in the NorthBeast Regional at the Cambridge Foundry! This two-day poetry slam and festival will feature compelling spoken word competitions, workshops, readings, and a chapbook exchange. But above all, the event will act as an opportunity to build and strengthen our community. Want to support local poets, or even put your name in for a chance at judging? Join us this weekend at the Foundry! All-access passes are $25, and a ticket to the Slam Finals only is $10. You don’t want to miss this chance to see the NorthBeast slam scene reawakened after years of dormancy!

FULL EVENT SCHEDULE AVAILABLE HERE!

Event Venue

The Cambridge Foundry
101 Rogers St., Cambridge, MA 02142

To learn more about the Foundry, its accessibility features, and directions, see our page with venue information.

Purchasing Tickets

Tickets are now available via Eventbrite! Check our social media for further updates!

Getting Involved

Not everyone who loves poetry wants to compete on the big stage. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved at the regional without joining a slam team!

We are seeking volunteer assistance for every aspect of the slam from judging, to tech, to ticketing. If you’re looking to take a more active role in this event, you are welcome to fill out this form to sign up as a volunteer. All working volunteers and slam judges get free admission. No experience necessary.

More opportunities are forthcoming, including workshops! We will add them here as they arise.

Community Guidelines

Attendees and volunteers are not allowed to record poems without the prior consent of the performer, unless they have a media pass.

We cannot guarantee a safe space, but we can guarantee protection and accountability in our community. Free speech does not only include what happens on the mic, but also in dialogue that happens after or during the show.  

If somebody says something that makes you feel UNCOMFORTABLE, we encourage dialogue amongst poets to help everyone learn from each other. If you feel uncomfortable approaching another poet about something they said on stage, a staff member will gladly facilitate that dialogue for you. 

If somebody says or does something that makes you feel UNSAFE, either to you privately or on the stage, please inform a staff member immediately. 

Hate speech is not acceptable and will get you immediately removed from the festival.

Slam is naturally subjective, and thus, unfair. We do not offer prizes for the winner because winning inherently does not prove anything about your poem. We do this for fun and community-building. However, if you think something happened in your bout that is against our community or slam rules, please talk to your bout manager urgently.

Diversity Statement

Poetry slams, at their core, are entirely subjective. This will always be the case when you’re attaching a score to a piece of art. Each person’s opinion of a poem will differ for a variety of reasons – from their understanding of poetic forms to how deeply they relate to a piece. With that being said, slams are too often skewed by relying on judges that share the same identity or worldview. As an organization, Boston Poetry Slam is committed to maintaining as diverse a panel of judges as possible in each slam. We aim to broaden the lenses through which each poem is viewed to ensure our scoring system is as fair as it can be.

Slam Rules for Competing Teams

Click here to view the rules for the slam!